Onset Fire District voters will be asked to OK funding for vehicles and a whole lot of water meters when they convene on Monday, May 20, for the district’s annual meeting.

They will also be asked to take “full and absolute authority” over the Fire Department out of the hands of the chief and give it to the three-member Board of Engineers, of which the chief is one member.

“The way the bylaws are written, the chief has the absolute” authority, explained Prudential Committee Chair Marcine Fernandes. Under the proposed bylaw change, “if somebody is out sick or something, they all know the aspects of the job,” Fernandes said.

Onset Fire Chief Howard Andersen declined to comment on the measure, as it was not submitted by his department.

The change in the bylaw would make the Board of Engineers responsible for overseeing personnel, purchasing equipment for the department (the purchases would have to be approved by the Prudential Committee), in addition to making it responsible for “general superintendence and control” of Fire Department property.

Voters will also consider a bylaw change that would ensure that the full text of the district’s personnel policies and procedures is contained in one comprehensive handbook. According to Fernandes, this would save people the hassle of digging through various booklets and files when they are looking for a specific bylaw.

“They’re all there, but when bylaws get amended over the years, you have to go hunting for them,” Fernandes said.

Also on tap is the funding of salaries.

The Board of Engineers and the rest of the Fire Department employees are not asking for any salary increases.

The Board of Engineers’ total salaries and holiday pay comes to about $219,023. The account that covers the rest of the department will also remain the same, at approximately $645,909.

Board of Engineers is asking voters to OK approximately $34,600 in matching funds for a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant that is in the pipeline for the purpose of replacing a 1972 ladder truck.

“We haven’t been told yes or no, but we have to have our matching amount available if the grant comes through,” Chief Andersen explained.

According to Andersen, the replacement of the ladder truck is overdue.

“Depending on the amount of work it goes through, normally every 25 years they get replaced,” said Andersen. “It doesn’t even meet today’s safety standards to protect the firefighters that are riding on it.”

The Board of Engineers is also requesting $24,000 to replace outboard motors and steering mechanisms on the department’s rescue boat, and $42,000 for protective equipment. Andersen says the protective equipment will replace a stock that is about ten years old and has greatly diminished in its effectiveness.

The Prudential Committee is asking for an increase to the amount of money appropriated for meetings and elections, Plymouth County Retirement, and legal fees, for a total of $11,484. The amount of money going to the Clerk/Treasurer’s account for general expenses would decrease by $1,879 under the same article.

The Board of Water Commissioners is looking for $45,000 to replace a 2001 Chevrolet truck.

Also requested by the Water Commissioners is $50,000 for the Water Department’s meter replacement program.

“We have 3,000 services in town and all the services are run through the meters,” explained Water Commissioner Brian O’Hearne. “Over the years, the meters start to deteriorate,” which effects the accuracy of the readings.

The Commissioners are asking for  $304,000 for the Water Department’s payroll account, which represents a 2% increase over last year, according to O’Hearne.

The annual meeting will convene May 20, at 7:30 p.m. at the Dudley L. Brown VFW, located at 4 Gibbs Ball Park Road.

Residents of the Onset Fire District – all those served by the Onset Water Department – are eligible to attend and vote.